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“Okay.”
He went out to the front veranda, came back in a few minutes later, the frown heavy on his face. “I have to head back to Melbourne.”
“Now?” Georgie asked, startled.
“No, not right now. But first thing in the morning. One of the doctors has been in a car accident.”
“Not Jen?” She asked, aghast.
“No, not Jen. You haven’t met this guy. He’s okay, no significant injuries, but he’s out of work for a while. He was covering for me, so the clinic is understaffed. They need me there.”
“For how long?”
Ryan shrugged. “I won’t know until I get there and see what’s what. I’ll let you know.”
“Okay.”
Brandon came in before either of them could say anything further.
* * *
Ryan closed the trunk of his car and turning, caught sight of Georgie, standing on the veranda. His heart did a slow, painful roll in his chest. “You didn’t have to get up,” he said quietly, walking up the steps.
“That’s okay,” she put her hand on his chest, lifting her face to his and brushing her lips lightly across his.
“I’ll text you when I get there.”
“Aright.”
He stood there for a long moment, words colliding in his throat. He swallowed them down. Now was not the time. “Bye.”
“Seeya.”
The first few days back in Melbourne were chaotic. It wasn’t until late on the third day that Ryan felt he had control of the situation. Consequently, he had barely had time to think about anything other than the clinic for three days. But on the evening of the third day, when he walked through the door of his house in Malvern, it was a different story. The quiet was unsettling, oppressive, while he heated up soup for dinner. The scrape of the spoon in the bottom of the pot grated. He turned the radio on, wincing at the jovial voices flooding the air. After finishing his meal and cleaning up, he moved into the lounge room. He was in no mood to turn the television on, had no interest in reading a book. Living alone had never bothered him before, but the big rooms felt empty and lifeless now. Added to that, this time apart from Georgie felt different. Probably because he wasn’t entirely sure what he would be returning to. It made him feel restless and disconnected. Cut adrift. Heaving a sigh, he went into the spare bedroom and pulled out his painting supplies. Setting up the easel and stool in the lounge room, he sat with his eyes closed for a long time, allowing an image to form in his mind. Then he straightened, swirled his brush in his palette and went to work.
He spent the rest of the week in this same routine. Worked like a dog all day, came home to a tomb-like house, painted and painted and painted, trying to get all of his feelings out. Maybe it helped. He wasn’t sure. One thing he was sure of, though, was that something had to give. He couldn’t continue to split his time between Melbourne and Blessed Inlet. His sabbatical needed to come to an end, sooner rather than later. It was as simple as that.
Which meant only one thing. His return to Blessed Inlet was going to have to include an ultimatum. Georgie knew how he felt now. If she honestly didn’t feel the same, couldn’t see herself feeling the same, then he was better off knowing. They were both better off.
CHAPTER27
Georgie walked down the long driveway at Nora and John’s, to the little unit tucked neatly at the back of the yard. She knocked softly, then gave a start of surprise. “Lynne!” Leah’s mother gave Georgie a shy smile as she opened the door and moved aside to let Georgie through. “How did this happen?”
“Callum,” Leah answered simply. She was lying back on the couch with her feet up. The babies were peacefully sleeping in bassinets next to her. She still looked very pale, but also, very happy.
“He arranged a car to drive me up. Nora and John insisted that I stay with them until Leah and Callum’s place is ready.” Lynne said. “Tea?”
“That’s amazing. Yes please, Lynne. Tea would be lovely.”
“Okay, I’ll do that, then I’ll go and see if Nora needs any help with dinner. Or anything else.”
Georgie watched as Lynne moved around the small kitchen. When Georgie had known her ten years before, Lynne had been a mousy, unsure woman, standing in her controlling husband’s shadow. She knew from Leah that the intervening ten years hadn’t done much to change that. Until Leah had broken up with Callum and landed on Lynne’s doorstep. Mother and daughter had bonded in ways Leah hadn’t expected. When she’d returned to Blessed Inlet and Callum, she’d promised to make sure Lynne would be able to visit, however much her husband, Leah’s father, objected to it. Georgie couldn’t be happier. She knew what it meant to Leah to have Lynne with her.
“How are they going?” Georgie asked, bending over the bassinets to peek at the sleeping babies.
“Divine. No dramas really at all. I’m not having much luck feeding them, so we’re topping up with formula.”
“Which means your Mum and Callum can help, so it’s not the worst idea.”
